Kyan Olanna
Shishmaref
by Tori Tragis, University Marketing and Publications
Kyan Olanna, left, has been with RAHI for more than 10 years as a student, advisor and volunteer. In this 2003 photo, she poses with fellow alumna Stacey Stasenko after graduation ceremonies, where Olanna was the keynote speaker. Stasenko taught Native dance that year. Photo by Sam Chanar
When Kyan Olanna was growing up she spent alternating years in Shishmaref, Alaska, and Suquamish, Wash., so it makes sense that she’s now settled halfway between, in Anchorage, where she’s a labor and employment attorney. Even as a teenager, Olanna knew she wanted a law career, but RAHI helped her realize what she’d have to do to achieve her goals.
"I had always intended to become a lawyer and I don’t think that RAHI was a deciding factor in attending college," Olanna says, "however, it did convince me that I wanted to go to UAF, in that it showed me that you could get a quality education in-state, and I saw the value of forming ties within the Alaska community. RAHI alumni are everywhere and it’s fun to recognize names of speakers and presenters at conferences and meetings as former classmates."
After high school, Olanna earned her bachelor’s degree in rural development from UAF, then took a year off to spend time with her daughter before going on to Yale Law School, where she got her law degree in 2002.
Olanna first attended RAHI as a student in 1993, and has been a RAHI counselor and served on the application review committee. That breadth of experience with the program gives her insight into both the challenges and the benefits that await today’s students.
The first challenge was just getting used to Interior weather. "Coming out of a coastal village, all I remember about my first week of RAHI was thinking that Fairbanks was way too hot and dry."
Fortunately, she persevered. "The Native studies class was an eye-opener. It was my first exposure to the Native rights movement and its historical motivations. It was also good to be part of a small math class that helped me bridge the gap between my village-education skill level and what I would need to take college-level calculus.
"RAHI is one of the few programs that successfully combines formal and social educations," she says. "Not only do you polish writing and other technical skills, but you have the opportunity to learn how to interact with professors and live in a group setting.
"RAHI is like anything else in life, in that you get out what you are willing to put in. It’s an experience that you need to come into with an open mind and with the understanding that the summer is going to be more than fun and games."